Only one official change in ranking, but there have also been developments among the other manufacturers: the figures behind the development of Ducati, Aprilia, Honda, and others.
With the end of the 2025 season, it is worth taking a closer look at one of MotoGP’s most important control instruments: the concession system.
It was introduced at the end of 2023 with the aim of balancing the power relations in the field in the long term. While at first glance there has only been one major change, namely Honda’s rise to rank C, the underlying figures tell a much more exciting story.
What are MotoGP concessions?
The concession system divides manufacturers into four performance ranks (A to D). This is based on the percentage of the maximum possible World Championship points that a factory team achieves over a defined period of the season.
The weaker a manufacturer performs, the lower it is ranked and the more technical and sporting freedom it is given, for example in engine development, test drives, or wildcards. The aim is to make struggling manufacturers competitive again more quickly without artificially slowing down the leaders.
Ducati: Still the benchmark, but not untouchable
At the end of 2025, Ducati will remain the only manufacturer in Rank A and thus the reference project for MotoGP. Nevertheless, the trend is showing a slight downward trend for the first time.
With 94 percent of the possible points, the Italians are below the 98 percent achieved both at the midpoint of the 2025 season and at the end of 2024. However, given the dominant phase with Marc Marquez and his injury-related absence at the end of the season, this decline is easily explainable.
Aprilia: The strongest upward trend in the field
Aprilia delivered the best season in its MotoGP history in 2025, but still remains in rank C. The decisive factor, however, is that the trend is pointing steeply upwards.
After hitting a low of 37 percent mid-season due to new riders and Jorge Martin’s injury, the team’s form exploded in the second half of the season thanks to a total of four Grand Prix victories, including a strong finish by Marco Bezzecchi and Raul Fernandez’s triumph in Australia.
This brings Aprilia to 51 percent at the end of the year. The Italian manufacturer has never been this strong in the premier class. This also brings it closer and closer to rank B.
KTM: Stabilization after a difficult phase
KTM ends 2025 with 46 percent of the possible points. This is a clear improvement on the summer mark (40 percent) and also slightly better than at the end of the 2024 season. Although it is not the brand’s absolute best result, it is a solid comeback after a bumpy winter.
Honda: The only change in ranking this season
Honda is the only manufacturer to make an official change in ranking in 2025, albeit a very slight one. After a historic low of just 10 percent at the end of the 2024 season, the Japanese giant made an impressive comeback.
Honda increased its share from over 23 percent at the midpoint of the season to 35 percent at the end of the season. That was just enough to jump from fourth to third place. The decisive factor was the last race, in which Luca Marini scored exactly the points needed with a seventh-place finish. A small result with a big impact.
Yamaha: Bold change instead of stagnation
Yamaha continues to struggle in sporting terms, but is showing enormous determination. The radical step of switching completely to the V4 engine, completed at the Valencia test immediately after the season finale, is a clear signal.
In purely numerical terms, Yamaha improved from a low of 17 percent at the end of 2024 to 30 percent at the end of 2025. That’s not enough for a change in ranking yet, but the technical restart could be the turning point in the medium term.
Even though there has been little change in the concession ranking itself, the 2025 season clearly shows that the system is fulfilling its purpose. Aprilia, KTM, Honda, and Yamaha are gradually closing the gap. MotoGP thus remains in flux, both in terms of sport and technology. And that was precisely the goal of the concessions.
